Message: "Actual origin/meaning of "Alana"? Traditional spelling?"

Actual origin/meaning of "Alana"? Traditional spelling?

by DixieKitten

6/17/2006, 7:59 PM

I love this name but I have seen so many variants in different languages that I am starting to get suspicious about its true origins. I've seen Irish, Hawaiian, French, German....are these valid or not? What is the true origin and original spelling, or actual variants? Meanings are ranging from "bright" to "dear child" to (from behindthename "from the name Alan", which means little rock/handsome.

Grrr.

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- Jen-Nigh

6/26/2006, 8:45 PM

In my Baby name book it claims it is Irish and Hawaiian...
Irish meaning "Attractive; peaceful"
Hawaiian meaning "Offering"
A feminine form of Alan

- Cleveland Kent Evans (clevelandkentevans)

6/20/2006, 2:03 PM

Alana is normally just a feminine form of Alan. But it is also a Hawaiian name meaning "awakening" according to Hawaiian Names, English Names by Eileen Root. Sometimes in Ireland it is said to be from Gaelic a leanbh, "oh, child". Hanks & Hodges' A Dictionary of First Names lists that as a possible origin, but only for the alternative spelling Alannah.

- raindancing

6/18/2006, 8:10 AM

Though I personally only know of the irish origin it is possible that Alana has more than one meaning, it could be that two or more different names that look and sound the same have originated from more than one culture,
look at Kim for example

KIM (1)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIM [key]
Short form of KIMBERLY

KIM (2)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scandinavian
Scandinavian short form of JOACHIM

KIM (3)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Vietnamese
Means "golden" in Vietnamese.

Of corse a lot of baby name sites are not that bothered about how accurate the meaning is they only list meanings that are cute or pretty so you have to take them with a dose of salt

Paula

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